Staff Reporter :
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Monday upheld a High Court order that granted anticipatory bail to Toufique Imrose Khalidi, Editor-in-Chief of online news portal bdnews24.com, in a corruption case.
The apex court dismissed a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) that sought a stay on the HC bail order for Khalidi.
A three-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Justice Muhammad Imman Ali passed the order after hearing arguments on the petition. The High Court Bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman on August 26 this year granted bail to Khalildi for eight weeks in the case.
Later, the ACC on August 27 filed a leave to appeal petition against the High Court order which came into the cause-list on Monday for hearing.
Barrister Shafique Ahmed, advocate Abdul Matin Khasru and Advocate AM Amin Uddin appeared for Khalidi, while advocate Khurshid Alam Khan argued for the ACC.
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan told the reporters that Khalidi will remain on bail following the apex court’s order. The ACC filed the case against him on July 30 this year on charge of amassing money beyond known sources of income.
The case alleged that Khalidi deposited Tk 420 million into different bank accounts after receiving the money “through fraud [and] in an illegal way by creating fake documents”.
But the ACC case dossier itself said that the money came through the sale of company shares owned by bdnews24.com and Khalidi, and it was indeed the same money deposited in the accounts of four banks.
Khalidi, who consistently denies the allegation of corruption, told the media at the beginning of the ACC investigation that bdnews24.com did stories that “hurt a very powerful lobby”, and are “paying the price” for what he believes is good, exemplary journalism done by his colleagues.
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Monday upheld a High Court order that granted anticipatory bail to Toufique Imrose Khalidi, Editor-in-Chief of online news portal bdnews24.com, in a corruption case.
The apex court dismissed a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) that sought a stay on the HC bail order for Khalidi.
A three-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Justice Muhammad Imman Ali passed the order after hearing arguments on the petition. The High Court Bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman on August 26 this year granted bail to Khalildi for eight weeks in the case.
Later, the ACC on August 27 filed a leave to appeal petition against the High Court order which came into the cause-list on Monday for hearing.
Barrister Shafique Ahmed, advocate Abdul Matin Khasru and Advocate AM Amin Uddin appeared for Khalidi, while advocate Khurshid Alam Khan argued for the ACC.
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan told the reporters that Khalidi will remain on bail following the apex court’s order. The ACC filed the case against him on July 30 this year on charge of amassing money beyond known sources of income.
The case alleged that Khalidi deposited Tk 420 million into different bank accounts after receiving the money “through fraud [and] in an illegal way by creating fake documents”.
But the ACC case dossier itself said that the money came through the sale of company shares owned by bdnews24.com and Khalidi, and it was indeed the same money deposited in the accounts of four banks.
Khalidi, who consistently denies the allegation of corruption, told the media at the beginning of the ACC investigation that bdnews24.com did stories that “hurt a very powerful lobby”, and are “paying the price” for what he believes is good, exemplary journalism done by his colleagues.
